Crime

23-year-old Pushpa was an employee at a Mee Seva centre. Police suspect that she might have died due to strangulation.

The residents and police of Araku valley were shocked to find the body of 23-year-old Pushpa on Saturday morning under mysterious circumstances. Pushpa’s body was found in the bushes near the Sarabhaguda colony in Araku valley mandal. While the case is still under investigation, Araku valley police have said that the cause of death appears to have been strangulation. Police say that local residents were able to identify her easily, as she had been working in the local Mee Seva Centre. She had gone to work on Friday and had left her office around 6 pm, but never made it home. Police suspect that the murder occurred around 9 pm on Friday night. According to the Araku valley police, Pushpa had been married to a 30-year-old man, and they had been living together for the past month in Araku valley. But the man was already married to someone else, and has two children. Police say that both women had been living only about a kilometre apart. Police suspect that on finding out that the man had been living with Pushpa, his first wife might have taken the drastic step in anger. On initial investigation, it appears that Pushpa was strangled with her own dupatta, police said. They also confirmed that there were no signs of sexual assault. Pushpa, who belonged to a Scheduled Tribe community, was a native of Chinnalabudu village. Her family occupation is farming. Pushpa’s family members have lodged a complaint with the Araku valley police. The family had protested outside the police station on Saturday, demanding that action must be taken against the man and his first wife. Police have said that no one has been taken into custody so far. An FIR has been registered under IPC section 302 (for murder), as well as under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Body 2:

Controversy

The case was booked days after Kodela Siva Prasad Rao admitted to moving things from the old Assembly building in Hyderabad to his Guntur residence.

TNM Staff

File photo: Facebook/Kodela Siva Prasad Rao

A case has been registered against former Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kodela Siva Prasad Rao at the Thullur police station in Guntur district, days after he admitted to ‘shifting’ Assembly furniture and computers to his residence. Assembly officials had even searched a motorbike showroom belonging to Rao’s family on Friday, following information that some of the furniture was shifted to the showroom in Guntur. Although they were stopped by the staff and Rao's lawyer, they carried on their search and reportedly identified 32 chairs, four sofas, three tables, one teapoy and other items. According to Thullur Circle Inspector, a case was registered on Saturday night based on a complaint filed by Andhra Pradesh Assembly Section Officer Eshwar Rao. Kodela Siva Prasad has been booked under IPC section 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant) and section 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property). Earlier on Tuesday, Kodela Siva Prasad had admitted that he had 'shifted' expensive furniture from the premises of the old state Assembly building in Hyderabad, to his residence-cum-office in Sattenapalli in Guntur district. Read: Ex-AP Speaker admits to 'shifting' Assembly furniture, computers to his residence The senior Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader's 'confession' came after it was reported that some items, including furniture and computers, had gone missing when the assets of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh were bifurcated. Read: Ex-Andhra Speaker's showroom searched for 'missing' furniture Kodela Siva Prasad Rao had justified the move by saying, "If we would have left the furniture at the Speaker's chamber in Hyderabad, maintenance may have been a problem. They may not even have been secure. Due to this, I shifted the furniture to my camp office in Sattenapalli.""As there were elections in the state and many things after that, I had gotten busy. I got a letter from the Assembly Secretary asking about the furniture and computers. I replied, stating that I would send the electronic items and furniture back and if needed I'm even willing to pay the price of the items, as we have used them," he added.

Body 2:

Controversy

Stating that Jagan had spoken to senior leadership of the BJP in New Delhi about it, TG Venkatesh said that he learnt about this from a leader in the national capital.

TNM Staff

Sitting BJP MP from Andhra Pradesh, TG Venkatesh, triggered a fresh bout of speculation on Monday after he claimed that the state government led by the YSRCP may consider going for four capitals. “Like four seasons, we can have four capitals in the state. Whatever Jagan plans on doing, it is evident that the centralisation of Amaravati would be disturbed,” Venkatesh told reporters in Kurnool on Sunday. Stating that Jagan had spoken to the senior leadership of the BJP in New Delhi about it, Venkatesh said that he learnt about the proposal from a leader in the national capital, who he did not want to name. “Jagan will scrap the existing state planning board and go ahead with four planning boards in four regions; Rayalaseema, Ongole-Guntur-Nellore, Krishna-Godavari and Srikakulam-Vizag-Vizianagaram, to develop each region. This is why Jagan had even appointed five deputy CMs from across the state, to oversee the regional capitals. I'm sure people of all regions will welcome this decision," Venkatesh added. Venkatesh, who had joined the BJP from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) earlier this year, pointed out that Jagan had even made a similar promise on decentralising the capital, during his padayatra ahead of the elections, to ensure development in all regions of the state. The reported proposal to 'shift' Amaravati has been in the news since a statement made by Andhra Pradesh Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) Minister Botcha Satyanarayana last week. Speaking to reporters, the YSRCP leader had said that there was a need to reconsider if Amaravati was safe to be the state's capital, as the region along the banks of the Krishna river was flood-prone. This had set off a controversy, with locals and opposition leaders expressing doubts, even as the YSRCP insisted that Amaravati would continue to grow as a city and there was no need to panic. Read: Andhra’s Capital conundrum: Has too much been invested into Amaravati already? 'Capital must be built in Amaravati or people will lose trust': Pawan Kalyan

Body 2:

Controversy

A probe had found that the ads by the Minorities Department had been printed before the Andhra Assembly Elections this year.

TNM Staff

Days after an unusual advertisement of a pilgrimage to Jerusalem was found on the back of an Andhra Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (APSTRC) bus ticket, which was plying from Tirumala to Tirupati, an official has been suspended for the fiasco. The APSRTC on Sunday said that it had taken a serious view of the matter and initiated an internal inquiry, which found the Controller of Stores in Nellore, M Jagadeesh Babu, guilty “for negligence and dereliction of duties." Stating that his actions had caused "serious embarrassment to the government”, the internal probe found that the advertisements had been printed before the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into place earlier this year. However, once the MCC was lifted, the APSRTC said that the Controller of Stores failed to notice the contents of the advertisements issued by the Minorities Department, and supplied them to the Tirupati depot. Therefore, the official was suspended, pending further disciplinary proceedings. The advertisements which had triggered a row, spoke about a 'holy Jerusalem tour' for Christians in the state, while another set of tickets issued to passengers on their way to Tirupati, saw advertisements for the state's annual Hajj pilgrimage offered to Muslims. As the issue escalated last week, the Chief Minister's Office was quick to respond, issuing a statement which quoted Endowments Minister Vellampalli Srinivas saying, "We immediately ordered an inquiry into the matter and found that the tickets were printed during the previous TDP government's term." The statement added that the tickets, which were supposed to be issued in Nellore, had come to Tirupati depot in Chittor district. Read: Ads for Hajj, Jerusalem pilgrimage on bus tickets to Tirupati triggers row, AP govt clarifies Row over claim that likely TTD chairman YV Subba Reddy is a Christian, he denies TNM Fact Check: Messages claiming AP CM Jagan converted to Hinduism are false

Body 2:

Healthcare

The victim, identified as Lakshmi, died due to excessive bleeding, just days before she was due for delivery.

TNM Staff

Image for representation

In yet another case that highlights the poor state of maternal healthcare in Visakhapatnam's tribal region, a pregnant adivasi woman from the district's Pedabayalu mandal died, after she was reportedly forced to walk around 20 km to consult a doctor, due to lack of a proper road. The incident, said to have happened last week, came to light on Sunday. The victim, identified as Lakshmi, died due to excessive bleeding, just days before she was due for delivery. According to media reports, 28-year-old Lakhmi had walked from her native hamlet of Jamadangi, which is in an interior area, to Boyithi in Madugula Mandal, to consult a Rural Medical Practitioner (RMP). After the visit, she began her way back. However, on the way back, she is reported to have developed labour pains, and though her relatives carried her for some distance in a makeshift stretcher, she and her unborn child died due to excess bleeding. Officials have taken note of the incident and submitted a report to higher authorities. Such tragic incidents are a common occurrence in Visakhapatnam's agency area as the nearest motorable road is several kilometres away from interior hamlets, which force relatives of women to carry them on makeshift stretchers. Earlier this year, data provided to TNM by the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) office at Paderu town in the tribal region, showed that the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) under its jurisdiction for 2018 up to January 2019 was 204. This was shocking when compared to Andhra Pradesh’s rate between 2014 to 16, which stands at 74 or India’s rate which stands at 130. While the state government relies on Asha workers and Auxillary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) and insists that pregnant women get admitted in advance, the hospitals themselves aren’t equipped to handle all pregnancy cases. Read: Watch: Why the state of maternal healthcare in AP’s tribal region is dismal Dirt paths, makeshift stretchers: Why maternal health is dismal in AP’s tribal region

Body 2:

Crime

Avula Manohar was allegedly attacked by henchmen of Rayadurg MLA Kapu Ramachandra Reddy.

Charan Teja

MLA Kapu Ramchandra Reddy

A reporter employed with a Telugu news channel – MAHA News, was on Sunday, allegedly attacked by henchmen of the Rayadurg MLA Kapu Ramchandra Reddy. At around 4 pm, journalist Avula Manohar was allegedly attacked for publishing news articles that criticised Ramachandra Reddy. A video of Avula Manohar speaking about the alleged attack has gone viral on social media. Manohar can be seen sporting injuries on his head in the video. “As I reached the Anantapur main road via the bypass road from my house near Uma Dhaba, eight YSRCP party men, who are associates of local MLA Ramchandra Reddy, stopped my bike and took my cellphones and video camera and beaten me up with stones and rods," Avula Manohar said in the video. దారికాసి మరీ దాడులు.. అది కూడా డైరెక్ట్ గా మీడియా వాళ్ళపైనే.. తల పగలకొట్టారు.. ఫోన్ లాక్కుని వెళ్ళిపోయారు.. పోలీసు స్టేషన్ దగ్గర ఆయన పరిస్థితి ఇలా ఉంది..@MahaaNews @PTI_News@AP @pressfreedom#RowdyRajyam#YSJaganFailedCm pic.twitter.com/cNHU8domFL — Annapureddy Achyuthreddy (@AnnapureddyAch2) August 26, 2019 Manohar alleged that the men questioned him about the news items he had published, which criticised the MLA and threatened to kill him. “They said, ‘how dare you write against Ramchandra Reddy’. They beat me up and told me that they had decided to kill me,” Avula said in the video. Manohar also claimed that the MLA was angry with him as he had raised several local issues on social media while holding Ramachandra Reddy accountable for it. “What crime have I committed? If you (MLA Ramachandra Reddy) are angry, show it on other political parties but why on me? I'm after all a reporter,” Avula Manohar claimed. TNM tried to contact Avula Manohar but could not reach him for a comment. His colleague, M Ramanjaneyulu, a reporter with the MAHA News told TNM that Manohar was attacked for his fearlessness in reporting issues that irked powerful men in the region. “Manohar reported on the sand mafia and corrupt deals of local politicians. He told us that four out of eight people who attacked him were associated with the YSRCP MLA," Ramanjaneyulu said. Several journalist unions in Anantapur district have taken to protesting against the attack and have demanded justice for Manohar. A representation was submitted to the district police authorities demanding that action be initiated against the attackers. However, police officials said that it's premature to attribute the blame on anyone before conducting a probe."Soon after the incident came to our notice, we registered a case against unidentified persons under section 394 (causing voluntary hurt in committing a robbery) of the IPC. The case is under investigation, no one has been arrested so far with regard to the incident." Kalyanadurg DySP Venkata Ramana told TNM. Manohar is currently undergoing treatment for his injuries at a local hospital and is stable. Rayadurg MLA, Kapu Ramchandra Reddy, however, refuted the allegations against him. Speaking to TNM he said, “This is a clear design to bring disrepute to me. I have been busy with the developmental projects in my constituency. Neither my people nor I have anything to do with the incident.” Ramachandra Reddy claimed that all the media reports against him was a campaign to malign his reputation and that he is not bothered about them. “People in Rayadurg know me well. There have been many reports in many Telugu channels against me as I'm in the YSRCP. This is being done to cause harm to my political career. I never bothered to react to these reports. Why would I even think about this person?" he questioned. Earlier this month YSRCP MLA from Nellore, Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy was booked for allegedly barging into the house of a journalist and trying to intimidate him. Dolendra Prasad, a senior journalist and editor of Zamin Ryot, a Telugu weekly, alleged that MLA Kotamreddy allegedly attacked him for a report he has written about the MLAs abusive behaviour towards Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Body 2:

Security

Police have created additional checkposts to check vehicles, besides conducting raids in lodges and hotels, and increasing vigilance in public places like bus stops.

TNM Staff

Image for representation/file photo/PTI

In the wake of terror threats in Tamil Nadu, police in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh have issued a high-alert, and stepped up their vigilance on Monday. Police have created additional checkposts to check vehicles, besides conducting raids in lodges and hotels, and increasing vigilance in public places like bus stops. Police are also frisking devotees and checking their baggage. On Saturday, a red-alert was issued in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu as six Lashkar-Taiba (LeT) terrorists had allegedly infiltrated the state. Taking note of this incident, Tirupati police have taken up precautionary measures to prevent any incidents. Speaking to media, Tirupati SP, KKN Anburajan said, “We are on a high-alert. Though we did not receive any specific intelligence from any central agency, as our neighboring state is on alert, we have acknowledged it and have taken precautions.” Detailing the security measures in place, he said, “We are conducting raids on hotels, lodges, dhabas. If anyone has not submitted their verified IDs or were found to be suspicious, we are taking them into detention. Already we have nine permanent check posts in place, following the alert, we have created 10 more check posts in discreet locations for checking vehicles.” The SP further added that devotees need not panic, and that it is extremely safe to visit Tirupati. According to media reports, on Thursday, the Coimbatore city police received intelligence inputs that about six LeT (Lashkar-e-Taiba) terrorists infiltrating Tamil Nadu through Sri Lanka. According to the intelligence report, the group consists of one Pakistani national and five Sri Lankan Tamil Muslims. Subsequently, Coimbatore, Vellore and Tiruvannamalai districts were put on red-alert. In Vellore, a Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) inspected the Golden Temple and the Sripuram Hospital. Security was enhanced in airports and railway stations. Vehicle checks and random checks were put in place in crowded places in the region and 10 Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) were stationed at strategic points in Coimbatore. Read: After Coimbatore, Vellore and Tiruvannamalai on high alert

Body 2:

Protest

The workers were protesting the newly introduced grading system, which allows for only some workers to be paid the Rs 10,000 salary promised by CM Jagan Mohan Reddy.

TNM Staff

Facebook/CITUAP

The ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers of Andhra Pradesh on Monday staged a huge protest in Vijayawada, demanding that Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy fulfil the promises made before the elections and pay them a salary of Rs 10,000. According to Indian Express, thousands of workers turned up for the protest at Lenin Centre from all over the state. The state government had issued an order earlier this month, increasing ASHA workers’ salary from Rs 3,000 to Rs 10,000 per month. The revised salary was supposed to come into effect from August 1, 2019. Although the orders have been issued, according to reports, workers have been protesting the grading system introduced in August, according to which workers will be categorised into three grades, A, B, and C. The worker’s grades are said to depend on the services provided by them, and the salary is issued depending on their grading after review by district officials, which means only workers falling in category A can receive a payment of Rs 10,000. According to The Hindu, ASHA workers union State General Secretary K. Dhanalakshmi said that the new rules create job insecurity, as consistently low grades can lead to the worker losing her job. She also said that the new rules require a matriculation certificate, which was not the case earlier. Workers have also demanded that the dues in honorarium also be cleared immediately. According to The New Indian Express, the state officials of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) have responded to the protests, writing to district officials to issue the workers’ payment on time. Meanwhile, TNIE reported that several ASHA workers in Visakhapatnam who stage a sit-in at Gandhi Statue, and were to take part in the Vijayawada protest, were detained by the police. The police also reportedly filed cases against CITU (Centre of Indian Trade Unions) leaders. According to The Hindu, ASHA workers in West Godavari district’s Palakollu mandal were also detained by the police for protesting as a part of the same campaign.

Body 2:

Controversy

The recovery was made a day after the police booked Kodela Siva Prasad Rao and his son for allegedly diverting furniture belonging to the Assembly to unauthorised places.

IANS

Andhra Pradesh Police and Legislative Assembly officials on Monday recovered Assembly furniture allegedly diverted by former Speaker Kodela Siva Prasad Rao to his personal office in Guntur district. Police, Revenue and Assembly officials also recovered several items from Gowtam Hero showroom belonging to Sivaprasad Rao's son Sivarama Krishna in Guntur. The recovery was made a day after police booked Rao and his son for allegedly diverting furniture belonging to the Assembly to unauthorised places. Assembly officials had identified the furniture at the showroom three days ago and it was late on Saturday that they lodged a complaint with the police.A police official said 70 items were identified at the showroom and this number was higher than the list provided by the Assembly officials. A case under Sections 409 (cheating by personation) and 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property) of the IPC was booked against the father-son duo at Thullur police station in Guntur district on a complaint by M Eswara Rao, an officer of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly. Earlier on Monday, Rao moved the High Court seeking direction to the state government to take away the furniture from his office. He claimed that he had written to Assembly officials in June to take away the furniture but no action was taken.The government submitted to the court that its arguments be heard. The hearing was postponed to Tuesday. Rao recently admitted that while shifting Assembly furniture and equipment to Amaravati from Hyderabad in 2016, some of it was taken to his office-cum-residence in Sattenapalli. He said this was done for the safety and maintenance as the furniture could have got spoilt in the temporary Assembly building. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader, who was defeated in the recent Assembly elections, also claimed that he wrote to Legislature Secretary asking him to take the furniture. He also offered to pay for the furniture.

Body 2:

Media

Barun Das, who earlier worked as the CEO of Zee Media limited, will now take on the role in TV9.

TNM Staff

Image: Facebook/Barun Das

Months after its founder Ravi Prakash was unceremoniously sacked, the TV9 Group has appointed Barun Das as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Mahendra Mishra, who was acting as the Interim CEO of the group, would now be Principal Advisor to the Board of TV9, a press release stated. The Associated Broadcasting Company Private Limited (ABCPL), the parent group of TV9, said that Barun, an alumnus of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras, Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Kolkata and the London School of Economics (LSE) was a veteran of the media business."Barun will be charged with the responsibility of driving synergies among all the channels and to build future-ready new businesses of the Group. His last corporate assignment was as the CEO of Zee Media Limited where he worked for over five years," the press release stated. Commenting on Barun's new role, Singa Rao, Whole Time Director and member of TV9 Board said, "Our group is committed to the roles and responsibilities of the Fourth Estate. Given our leadership position in the southern and western parts of the country, we are now aiming at achieving similar success in the rest of the country and in the new media domain." In a statement, Barun said, "I am excited about this new opportunity given the Group's vision. Every new opportunity comes with fresh challenges and I wish to contribute my bit along with the team. Since TV9 has impressive leadership in the regions of its current operations, it will be my pleasure and privilege, to drive its expansion in the national arena." The TV9 group presently has news channels in Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Gujarati and English. It recently launched TV9 Bharatvarsh in Hindi, its first national news channel. In April this this year, the police in Hyderabad had booked former TV9 CEO Ravi Prakash and CFO MKVN Murthy for forgery, cheating and criminal conspiracy on a complaint filed by Alanda Media & Entertainments Pvt Ltd after the latter acquired majority stakes in Associated Broadcasting Pvt Ltd (ABCPL), the owner of the TV9 group of channels. The dispute relates to Alanda Media buying more than 90.54% stake in TV9 and alleging that Ravi Prakash actively opposed Alanda's move to appoint four directors. However, Ravi Prakash has alleged that the Board members were representatives of political honchos “who were out there to devour every journalist and independent media house.” Read: Battle for TV9: Founder Ravi Prakash says businessman staged coup, wants editorial control

Body 2:

The protest created a traffic jam on the road leading to the Secretariat at Velagapudi.

IANS

Amid confusion created by statements of Andhra Pradesh Ministers and ruling YSRCP leaders over possible shifting of the state capital from Amaravati, a section of farmers who gave their lands for the capital took to the streets on Monday.The protest created a traffic jam on the road leading to the Secretariat at Velagapudi. Criticising statements by Urban Development Minister Botsa Satyanarayana and BJP MP T G Venkatesh, farmers of Krishnayapalem in Guntur district staged the protest and demanded that the state capital remain in Amaravati.Contesting Satyanarayana's statement that Amaravati was a flood-prone area, they said none of the villages falling under the capital region were flooded in the past. About 24,000 farmers are estimated to have given over 30,000 acres for the state capital under the land pooling scheme. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government had promised to return a part of the land back to them, as developed property in addition to the lease amount. Meanwhile, Satyanarayana on Monday said that the government was aware of a land scam in Amaravati and it would be revealed at an appropriate time. There was an 'insider trading', which would be made public soon, he claimed. Immediately after assuming office in May, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had alleged a big land scam in Amaravati. The TDP government leaders indulged in insider trading as they were privy to the information about the location of the state capital, he added. Satyanarayana said that a former Union Minister was claiming that he had no land in the capital. "He is an MP and if he throws a challenge, we will reveal all the details," he said without naming the leader. Y S Chowdary, who recently quit the TDP to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), had recently denied owning any land in Amaravati. On Jana Sena leader Pawan Kalyan's statement about Amaravati, the Minister reminded him of the stand taken by him in the past. Kalyan, who had staged a protest over forcible acquisition of land from farmers by then TDP government, two days ago said shifting the capital out of Amaravati would scare away investors and cause massive unemployment. Satyanarayana said even the BJP had made allegations of irregularities in development of state capital. Some farmers had not received lease amount and the government would address their problem, he added. Meanwhile, BJP's state unit president Kanna Lakshminarayana demanded that the government clarify its stand on Amaravati. Read: Andhra CM Jagan to go with 4 regional capitals instead of Amaravati, BJP MP claims Andhra’s Capital conundrum: Has too much been invested into Amaravati already?

Body 2:

Polavaram project

A vigilance official wrote to the project authorities, asking them to release all documents related to the project head works’ contract.

TNM Staff

In the latest development in the controversy surrounding the Polavaram project, the Andhra Pradesh government launched a fresh investigation into financial irregularities in the project. According to HT, regional vigilance and enforcement officer of East Godavari district U Ravi Prakash wrote to the superintending engineer of Polavaram project on August 23, asking the project authorities to release all documents related to the project head works’ contract. The move came a day after the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Thursday suspended the cancellation of the Polavaram Hydel Power Project contract with Navayuga Engineering Company Limited by the Jagan Mohan Reddy government in the state. The order was issued in response to a petition filed by Navayuga, who had received the contract when the Telugu Desam Party was in power in the state. The officer has reportedly asked for documents related to the revision of agreement rates paid to contractors from 2011-12 to 2015-16, and several other records of payments made to contractors as per the EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) contract. Earlier, an expert panel was constituted by CM Jagan to look into the project, which turned in its report in July. The report had found that slow progress in the project had not been penalised, and price escalations had still been accepted by the government. The YSRCP government had issued a notification only last week, on August 17, for reverse tendering in the project, for works estimated to cost Rs 4,900 crore. This included headworks worth Rs 1,800 crore and a hydel project worth Rs 3,100 crore. However, the HC has since stayed the move by the state government to call for reverse tenders, with regard to the hydel project. The decision for reverse tendering was taken despite the project authority, which is under the Centre, warning against it.Several observers and activists had also noted that despite existing flaws in the project, reverse tendering may not be a wise move. The Union Minister for Jal Shakti had also said that cancelling Navayuga’s Polavaram contract would be detrimental to the project. The Polavaram Project Authority under the Union Water Resources Ministry had also warned that re-tendering would drive up the project costs, for which the Centre would not bear the burden.

Body 2:

Tollywood

'Saaho' is also the first Telugu film to get a Twitter emoji.

Balakrishna Ganeshan

Actor Prabhas’s Saaho, made on a whopping budget of Rs 350 crore, will be releasing in 10,000 screens in India alone, beating Superstar Rajinikanth’s 2.0 record. Speaking to TNM, a member from the Saaho promotion unit, said, “The film will release in 10,000 screens in India. In the Telugu states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, the film will be released in more than 2,000 screens.” 2.0, which also starred Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar, was released in 10,000 screens globally. Saaho will be released on August 30 in four languages -- Telugu, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam - and has become the first Telugu film to get a Twitter emoji. Prabhas has become a pan-Indian star following the phenomenal success of Baahubali: The Beginning and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion. The second film in the Baahubali franchise had released in 9,000 screens globally. The trailer of Saaho, which came out recently, showed Prabhas pulling off action sequences with elan, and succeeded in creating mass euphoria among the Telugu audiences. And understandably so, because Saaho is his first film after the Baahubali series -- after a long gap of two years. The full list of countries where Saaho will be releasing is not known yet. However, Bollywood trade analyst Taran Adarsh told TNM that this was the biggest film to come out in recent times."Saaho is definitely going to be one of the biggest releases, if not the biggest. It is a huge project. While it is too early to comment on the number of theatres and its locations, it can be said for certain that it will have a wide release globally," he said. According to reports, the makers want to hike the price of the ticket to Rs 200 in single screens in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana during the first few days. While exorbitant tickets have become a norm in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana too witnessed a hike for Mahesh Babu’s Maharshi. Though the Telangana government had denied permission for hiking the prices, the producers went ahead citing a High Court order. Tollywood producers claim that big budget films can make a profit only if they hike the price of tickets for the first week. Although it has been reported that online media streaming platform Amazon has bagged the rights of the film for Rs 40 crores, the film unit told TNM that the negotiations are still underway. They are also tight-lipped about the satellite rights of the film, but according to reports, the satellite rights for Telugu, Malayalam and Tamil have been sold for Rs 70 crore while Hindi has fetched another Rs 70 crore. Yash Raj Films is distributing the film abroad. According to IBN Times, the theatrical rights of Saaho have earned Rs 124 crore from the Telugu states, Rs 28 crore from Karnataka, Rs 20 crore from Tamil Nadu, Rs 6 crore from Kerala, Rs 70 crore from north India, and Rs 42 crore from all the international markets, thereby making Rs 290 crore in total. Bollywood actor Shraddha Kapoor is paired opposite Prabhas in Saaho. The film, directed by Sujeeth, also has Arun Vijay, Mandira Bedi, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Jackie Shroff, Chunky Pandey, and Mahesh Manjrekar among others in the cast.

Body 2:

Controversy

The issue was raised last year, and the High Court had said that non-Hindus employed in non-religious posts in TTD should not be sacked.

Nitin B.

Image for representation: TTD

An announcement recently made by Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary LV Subrahmanyam that non-Hindu employees working in the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) will be sacked has raised eyebrows in the state. The TTD manages affairs at the Sri Venkateswara temple atop Tirumala, which is one of the richest Hindu temples in the world. "If people have converted while working here, that is fine. They are free to change their religion and no one will oppose it. However, they can't continue with the job and will not be given an important post because it will hurt the sentiments of Hindus," Subrahmanyam told reporters, after meeting with TTD Executive Officer (EO) Anil Kumar Singhal."They can practice their faith at home but they should leave the TTD. We will even conduct surprise inspections at the residences of those working in Tirumala if needed," he added. Already, officials seem to have begun work with reports suggesting that the vigilance wing of the TTD has begun an exercise to identify non-Hindu employees. Though the top bureaucrat mentioned only TTD, the move has had other repercussions as well. The Executive Officer at the popular Mallikarjuna temple in Srisailam has reportedly prepared a list of non-Hindus working with their trust board, and sent it to the Endowments Commissioner demanding action. Subrahmanyam's announcement is being seen by observers as damage control by the state government after a controversy last week, when an unusual advertisement of a pilgrimage to Jerusalem was found on the back of an Andhra Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (APSTRC) bus ticket, which was plying from Tirumala to Tirupati. The move had upset several devotees, and the BJP jumped in, labelling the Jagan government as 'anti-Hindu'. Read: AP official suspended after ads for Hajj, Jerusalem pilgrimage on Tirupati bus tickets Speaking to TNM on Subrahmanyam's announcement, former TTD Executive Officer and ex-Chief Secretary IYR Krishna Rao said, "It is a desirable move and they will find support on the ground. Everything is paid for by the devotees and the government money is not flowing in there. It should be a prerequisite." "It has been a long-standing demand. If there is any ordinance that prevents them from doing so, it must be amended," Krishna Rao, who is now with the BJP, added. Will non-Hindu employees move court? The issue however, is far from new. Last year, a video of TTD Deputy Executive Officer Sneha Latha surfaced, and she was accused of visiting the church every Sunday in the official car belonging to the board. Outrage followed and at the time, 44 non-Hindu employees who had been appointed were identified. Showcause notices were issued to the employees, most of whom were appointed in non-religious posts like drivers, gardeners, sanitary staff, mechanics, nurses etc. Stating that they had been working at the TTD for decades, the employees moved court and said that they had not hidden their religion when they were hired and dubbed the move discriminatory. The TTD had cited Government Order 1060 dated October 24, 1989, and contended that it was a violation of the guidelines. They also cited provisions of the Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, and stated that they wanted to shift the non-Hindu employees to other departments in Andhra Pradesh. Following this, the employees managed to get a stay from the High Court in February 2018. The TTD then made the staff take an oath not to indulge in non-Hindu practices at the temple, before the issue abated. "The stay order is still in place. The TTD is free to hire whoever it wants for 'religious' posts but as far as jobs that are unrelated to religious affairs are concerned, discrimination on the grounds of religion could be construed as unconstitutional," Sudheer Jonnalagadda, the counsel for the petitioners in the case, tells TNM. With the issue coming up for debate again, it is likely to end up in court. Read: Andhra’s Capital conundrum: Has too much been invested into Amaravati already? Old video from UP spread as Tirumala devotees manhandled by ‘Christian police’

Body 2:

Politics

Chandrababu Naidu had laid the foundation stone for the 'Kuchipudi iconic bridge', which may now be scaled down to Rs 400 crore, instead of the earlier proposed cost of Rs 1,387 crore.

IANS

The Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government in Andhra Pradesh has decided to scale down the proposed 'iconic' bridge across the Krishna river, throwing another indication that its plans for the new capital Amaravati will not be as ostentatious as envisaged by former chief minister Chandrababu Naidu. The 3.2-km long six-lane bridge that is intended to connect Amaravati with Vijayawada-Hyderabad national highway will be simple and not iconic, and may cost around Rs 400 crore, down from the earlier proposed cost of Rs 1,387 crore. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is expected to soon complete a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the bridge, which is expected to reduce the distance from Amaravati to Hyderabad and Amaravati to Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh by 40 kms. Chandrababu Naidu had on January 12 laid the foundation stone for the 'Kuchipudi iconic bridge'. With a 170-metre-tall pylon, it was one of the many "iconic" structures planned by Naidu, who wanted to develop Amaravati as a world-class city. Officials of the Amaravati Development Corporation Ltd (ADCL) had then said that the bridge would be completed in two years. However, the Centre did not show much interest in the project due to the high cost involved. It wanted the state to bear the additional expenditure for the project following which the new government told the NHAI that it prefers a simple bridge which would meet people's needs. Official sources say a simple bridge may cost around Rs 400 crore. The decision to dump the 'iconic' bridge plans comes amid confusion over future of Amaravati after Urban Development Minister Botsa Satyanarayana recently remarked that the city was flood-prone. The remark triggered speculation that the state capital may be shifted to some other place. BJP MP T G Venkatesh's claim that Jagan Mohan Reddy is planning four regional capitals further added to the confusion. But leaders of the YSRCP maintained that only the previous government's plan for iconic structures had been shelved, and there was no proposal to shift the capital from Amaravati. Read: Will Amaravati remain Andhra capital? Farmers who gave land stage protest Andhra’s Capital conundrum: Has too much been invested into Amaravati already? 'Capital must be built in Amaravati or people will lose trust': Pawan Kalyan

Body 2:

Controversy

While similar allegations have surfaced in the past, BJP leader Bhanu Prakash Reddy on Tuesday released documents related to an audit, to back his claims.

TNM Staff

File photo: Wikimedia Commons/Nikhil B

The BJP on Tuesday alleged that a crown made of silver and some precious jewellery went missing from the treasury of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which oversees affairs at the famous Sri Venkateswara temple in Andhra Pradesh. Speaking to reporters in Tirupati, Andhra BJP leader and former TTD Board member G Bhanu Prakash Reddy said that the crown, which weighed around 5.4 kg, and some jewellery offered by devotees, had been missing since October 2017, when an audit was conducted. While similar allegations have surfaced in the past, Bhanu Prakash Reddy on Tuesday released documents related to the audit, to back his claims."Several crore devotees hold the temple in high regard. The TTD has a responsibility to keep its jewels safe. How could they go missing from the treasury? Can anyone just carry a crown out of the treasury?" he asked, demanding a thorough probe and stringent action against the accused responsible for the theft. “The TTD boasts of unbreachable security systems in place, including armed guards and a closely monitored CCTV network...Is the TTD trying to save anyone? Has a recovery procedure been initiated in the past? The common devotees of Venkateswara want to know the answers," he told reporters. Bhanu Prakash also alleged that the TTD, instead of admitting lapses on its part, issued an order to recover the money from an official of the rank of Assistant Executive Officer (EO), Srinivasulu, as the jewels went missing when he was in charge of the treasury. In this regard, it was reported that Rs 25,000 was being drawn from his salary each month since November 2018, to recover a little over Rs 6 lakh in total. Reacting to the allegation, TTD Executive Officer Anil Kumar Singhal stated that the temple trust immediately initiates a recovery process, whenever such allegations surface, pending inquiry and disciplinary action. Speaking to reporters, Singhal said, “The stock is under the control of an assistant executive officer who is the custodian of the property. He will be held responsible in case any shortage or missing of property is reported.” As Srinivasulu claimed that he was innocent, TTD officials verified the records of the treasury only to find more discrepancies in the jewels present, compared to what they had listed in their official records, Anil Kumar said. The TTD EO said that a fresh audit will be conducted in September to ensure 'flawless' record-keeping and added that a probe would be initiated to ascertain dereliction of duties of officials if any. The authorities are expected to issue a detailed statement on the issue soon. The controversy over missing jewels first came to light last year, when former TTD chief priest Ramana Deekshithulu, levelled shocking allegations of financial irregularities against the administration of the board and also raised suspicion that several precious ornaments from the temple were missing. Read: Employment of non-Hindus in Tirumala Tirupati temple becomes a controversy again TTD row: PIL filed in Hyd HC demanding CBI inquiry into ‘missing jewels’ in Tirumala Pawan Kalyan alleges missing jewels from Tirumala smuggled to Middle East and TDP is aware

Body 2:

Analysis

Since the time Jagan Mohan Reddy was sworn in as Chief Minister in May, the BJP has been using his Christian faith to target him and his government.

Gali Nagaraja

The BJP hopes to find fertile ground to grow in Andhra Pradesh following the defeat of TDP’s Chandrababu Naidu, and the rise of his rival YSRCP’s Jagan Mohan Reddy after the recent elections. While the TDP was a part of the NDA during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure and during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s term until it quit the alliance in 2018, the BJP has found it a near-impossible task to storm into its former ally’s domain with the Hindutva agenda. But the poll outcome may have changed the political and communal contours of the state to the BJP’s advantage. Since Jagan Mohan Reddy was sworn in as Chief Minister in May, the BJP has been using his Christian faith to target him and his government. BJP state president Kanna Lakshminarayana has led his party’s social media warriors to target Jagan, accusing him of using his official position as a propaganda tool for missionary activities. The BJP was quick to label Jagan ‘anti-Hindu’ for failing to light a lamp at an event in the US. And while the YSRCP dismissed the allegation, stating that it was an electric lamp, the BJP went on to accuse Jagan of visiting temples in the run-up to the polls ‘for the sake of votes’. The BJP has also jumped onto other recent controversies, including an advertisement of a pilgrimage to Jerusalem on the back of an Andhra Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (APSTRC) bus ticket, which was plying from Tirumala to Tirupati. Jerusalem is a sacred city in Christianity, Judaism and Islam. The fact that the ad was printed on a ticket meant for travel to the famous Hindu temple at Tirumala was taken up by the BJP. The recent row over engaging non-Hindu employees in the Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Temple at Srisailam has also been used to highlight Jagan’s faith. Telangana MLA Raja Singh of the BJP also saw a conspiracy in the death of 101 cows in a village close to Vijayawada in Andhra, accusing meat traders of sabotage. And while animal husbandry officials blamed the deaths on the cows consuming fodder with excess nitrogen, a Special Investigation Team has been ordered to probe the deaths. Christian tag in politics Jagan’s faith has been no secret. His family embraced Christianity, beginning with his great grandfather Venkata Reddy, who was an employee of the Church of South India (CSI) in his home town of Kadapa district. The Church of South India is one of the largest churches in the country, and belongs to the Protestant denomination. Jagan’s father YS Rajasekhar Reddy (YSR), Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh between 2004-09, however, played the ‘minority card’ to his advantage. He wooed Muslims to his side, by projecting his rival Naidu, who was an ally of the BJP then, as a supporter of the Hindutva politics. Following YSR’s death in a helicopter crash in 2009, Jagan parted ways with the Congress and formed the YSRCP. But it has often been identified as a ‘Christian party’, after Jagan’s mother Vijayamma and sister Sharmila Reddy led the YSRCP’s election campaign in 2014 with copies of the Bible in hand. The YSRCP, however, appears to have tread with caution in the recent elections after the 2014 fiasco. His mother was conspicuously absent in the campaign for the most part in 2019. In addition, Jagan was seen attempting his best to undo his Christian tag for public consumption at least. After his thumping victory, Jagan visited the Hindu shrine at Tirumala and offered prayers. He had a Pushkara snanam (holy bath) during the Godavari Pushkarams, a river festival celebrated by Hindus every 12 years, and took blessings from Hindu seers Sri Ramanuja Chinna Jeeyar Swamy and Swaroopananda Swamy of Sarada Peeth. Jagan’s non-confrontational approach against BJP Jagan has chosen to be silent on the BJP targeting him over his religious beliefs as he cannot afford to take a confrontational stand against the Narendra Modi regime. The reasons are many. Corruption and money laundering cases loom over Jagan, especially in the backdrop of former Union Minister P Chidambaram getting arrested in the INX media case. In his first term as CM, Jagan is also in a bind over performing better than his rival Naidu, in developing the state and it won’t be possible without the Centre’s liberal assistance. It’s these political compulsions that seem to force Jagan to go soft on the Modi government. This could be the reason why he backed the NDA on the Kashmir issue and its pre-poll strikes on terror camps in Pakistan’s Balakot. The TDP, however, has remained neutral in the war of words between the BJP and the YSRCP over Jagan’s religious faith, since it would amount to shouldering the BJP’s Hindutva agenda if it naively targets the CM. Meanwhile, Jagan also appears to have toned down his rhetoric on special category status for his state after he came to power. His apparent inability to challenge the Narendra Modi government may help the BJP nurse hopes to make forays into Andhra in future. However, it is a big question whether the BJP with a mere 0.84% vote share in 2019 can realise its grand plans to make inroads into a state, which has largely been a picture of communal harmony. Gali Nagaraja is a freelance journalist who writes on the two Telugu states. Views expressed are the author's own.

Body 2:

Tourism

Stating that the floods have done considerable damage, officials said that restoration will go on for a couple of months.

Jahnavi Reddy

With the flood waters receding after the deluge in the Krishna river, Andhra Pradesh Minister of Tourism Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao visited Bhavani Island on Tuesday to survey the cleaning and restoration work. Situated in the Krishna river in Vijayawada, the Bhavani Island is said to be one of the largest river islands in India. It is also one of the popular tourist features in the city too. Officials announced that the island will be re-opened to tourists from September 1. The island was submerged August 16 onwards, with water reaching three to five feet. Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) officials on Tuesday briefed the minister on the status of losses, damage to infrastructure, and the timeline for restoration. According to officials, there has been an estimated loss of about Rs 1.7 to 2 crore at the island due to the recent floods. Although there has been serious damage to a musical fountain worth around Rs 16 crore, officials clarified that the fountain, which was constructed and maintained by a private firm, was insured. In spite of the loss of some infrastructure, and some plant and bird life, danger to tourists was avoided by evacuating them well in advance, said Sudheer Babu, manager at Bhavani Island. “On August 12 itself, tourists were moved out. We cancelled reservations from August 13 onwards. From August 15, the island was fully vacated. Some important movable items were also shifted in time to minimise damage,” he said. A flood alert was sounded as 8 lakh cusecs of water was released from the Prakasam Barrage that lies across the Krishna river in Vijayawada. The water, which was released on August 15, submerged several low-lying areas in the Krishna district. The Krishna River was in spate due to heavy rainfalls in Maharashtra and Karnataka, forcing dam authorities to open the gates, resulting in flooding downstream of the river. On August 12, all 26 crest gates of Nagarjuna Sagar Project in Andhra were lifted, reportedly for the first time in a decade. On the other hand, outflows from Nagarjuna Sagar dam had been filling up the Pulichintala project, located upstream of the Prakasam Barrage. Restoration work had begun on August 22, with the staff beginning with cleaning work. Bhavani Island Development Corporation Executive Director G Umamaheswar Rao said, “Initially, there were a lot of silt and mud deposits, and fallen trees to clear. We want to take some time before opening up for tourists again to ensure their safety.” Speaking to the media, Minister Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao said, “Within 30 to 45 days, the island will be restored to its former state, as it was before the floods. Beyond government funds, we will consider PPPs (Public-Private Partnerships) to build flood resistant, non-permanent structures on the island. We will also consider other safety precautions in the future.”

Body 2:

Law

Lawyers from Kurnool have written a letter to the Andhra CM asking that since Rayalaseema region remains neglected, a new high court or a separate bench of the high court be set up.

TNM Staff

With the YSRCP government in Andhra Pradesh dropping clear hints that it had no grand plans for the capital of Amaravati and was even open to the decentralisation of institutions, the demand for a High Court to be established at Kurnool has resurfaced. Speaking to reporters in Kurnool on Tuesday, Jayaraju Yeggoni from the SC/ST Lawyers Forum for Social Justice, who is also the former head of the district bar association, said that if not a new High Court, at least a bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court be set up in the state's Rayalaseema region. The Rayalaseema region in Andhra Pradesh consists of the districts of Kadapa, Kurnool, Anantapur and Chittoor. Locals here have often alleged neglect, as the region is underdeveloped, as compared to other parts of the state. In a letter to Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the lawyers said, "All of us know well that concentration of development in one place leads to imbalanced development of other regions in a state. We saw what happened when Andhra was a combined state – Hyderabad was developed and now after the division, we are left with nothing." Arguing for equitable distribution of resources and investment to all parts of the state, the lawyers accused former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu of repeating the same mistake after 2014, by concentrating development along the banks of the river Krishna. The letter also cited the Sribagh Pact and the Gentlemen's Agreement, which was signed by leaders of Telugu-speaking regions like Telangana, coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema in the 1950s. At the time, Kurnool was selected as the capital of the combined state, which had been reorganised from the Madras Province, while the High Court functioned from Guntur. However, the capital and the high court later shifted to Hyderabad."The establishment of a high court at one place and the location of capital at another place is not new or first of its kind. The establishment of a high court in Rayalaseema region at Kurnool is not only a historic necessity to honour the Gentlemen's Agreement, but also a pragmatic step for the equitable development of both regions," the letter states. Pointing out that there was abundant government land, availability of water and connectivity with others states from Kurnool, the letter also stated that Anantapur district had gotten a Kia Motors plant, while Kadapa was in the process of getting a steel plant, leaving Kurnool in the lurch. The demand to set up the high court in Kurnool is far from new and agitation has been underway for the past three years. In 2018, the Presidents and Secretaries of Bar Associations of the Rayalaseema region met in Kadapa and passed a resolution to constitute the ‘Rayalaseema High Court Sadhana Samithi’. The organisation led various protests, agitations and boycotts, demanding that the high court be set up in Rayalaseema. The protesting lawyers also met with the then Andhra Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and submitted a representation. However, the Naidu government was firm on its decision to construct the high court at Amaravati, even as some leaders of the YSRCP had then supported the lawyers' demand. With the YSRCP storming into power in the state, the lawyers now hope that their long-pending demand will be fulfilled. Read: Should Andhra’s new HC be located in Rayalaseema? Debate rages on

Body 2:

Traffic

The initiative by the Transport Department is aimed at encouraging citizens to participate in road safety, AP Minister of Transport said.

TNM Staff

Image for representation

From now on, if you see someone in Andhra talking on the phone while driving, jumping a signal or doing something reckless on the road, you can do more than just murmur your disapproval. Andhra Pradesh citizens can now report traffic violations by sending photos over WhatsApp directly to the transport department. The ‘citizen-driven enforcement of road safety’ initiative was launched in Vijayawada on Wednesday by Minister of Transport Perni Venkataramaiah. The minister said that the initiative will help in enabling citizens to participate in improving road safety in the state. The facility allows citizens to report any ‘visible’ traffic violations by sending a photograph with the license plate of the offending vehicle clearly visible on WhatsApp to the number 9542800800. The list of visible offences includes riding without a helmet, talking on the phone while driving, driving in the wrong direction, jumping signals etc. Dangerous practices like overcrowding autos and school buses with excess passengers, riding two-wheelers with more than two people, and transporting goods without covering them with tarpaulin can also be reported with photographic evidence. Apart from these violations, road accidents and crashes can also be reported on the number. The Transport Department has assured that without revealing the sender’s identity, the complaints will be verified by officials, after which e-challans will be sent to the violator directly, based on the vehicle registration number. “This will make people more self-aware, because now it’s not just traffic police checking for violations at a few locations. If they are mindful that the public can also report them, it can improve road safety,” Venkataramaiah said. He assured that the move was not meant to create fear among motorists or to penalise them, but to avoid accidents. Earlier this year, similar initiatives were launched in Kerala, in Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram, where they are run by the local police authorities. The Chennai traffic police had also launched an app in June this year for similar purposes.

Body 2:

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